Per OSU Policy 2-0207, the final examination for a class should be one of substance and should follow periodic evaluation during the semester. All instructors of record for courses having regularly-scheduled meeting times are required to distribute a semester plan (i.e. a syllabus), electronically and/or physically, during the first week of courses. This typically includes the schedule of examinations and other course requirements, as well as details of the grading system that will be used in the determination of final grades.

When are final exams conducted?

A formal final examination week is observed at the end of each fall and spring semester. See the Final Exam Schedule. For summer session courses or other short courses, the final exam is generally conducted on the last day of the class during the regular class meeting time. See OSU Policy 2-0207 for additional information.

Where are final exams conducted?

With the exception of common finals, the location of the final exam is the regular meeting place of the class.

How are final exams scheduled?

For fall and spring semesters, the Office of the Registrar constructs the final examination schedule according to the Faculty Council approved schedule. Final examinations shall be held at the times listed in the official schedule. Instructors who wish to offer a final exam outside this schedule must submit a Pre-Finals/Finals Week Request Form located in the Forms section of the Registrar website. For summer session courses or other short courses, the final exam is generally conducted on the last day of the class during the regular class meeting time. See OSU Policy 2-0207 for additional information.

What happens when inclement weather or other unforeseen events prevent a final exam from occurring?

If a final exam is cancelled due to the university closing for inclement weather or other unforeseen events, the final exam schedule may be modified by the Office of the Registrar or individual exams may be rescheduled by the Office of the Registrar at the instructor’s and department’s request.

Final exam details for full semester-length classes in fall and spring semesters will display as an additional meeting for a class on student class schedule displays in Self Service toward the end of the semester, according to the final exam schedules. Students should always check with their instructors for any variations from the published final exam schedule. The image below provides an example of how final exam details are presented. Note that final exam meetings are typically not added to the class schedule until approximately one month before finals week.

Per OSU Policy 2-0216, in the event a student has three or more final exams scheduled for a single day, that student is entitled to arrange with the faculty member instructing the highest numbered course (4 digit course number) or two highest if the student has four finals on one day to re-schedule that examination(s) at a time of mutual convenience during final exam week.

If the final exam overload includes a common final exam, the common final exam is excluded from rescheduling unless multiple common exams are scheduled at the same time.

Common final exam conflicts are resolved as follows: 1) The instructor of the course with the fewer credit hours is responsible for providing the make-up exam; 2) If the classes have the same number of credit hours, then the instructor of the course that meets later in the day/week is responsible for providing the make-up exam.

The affected student should submit to the instructor a written request to take the affected exam at a different time, with a copy of his/her class schedule, at least two weeks prior to the beginning of final exam week.

The instructor has one week prior to the beginning of final exam week to arrange a mutually convenient time and place for administration of the final exam, after which the student may take the request to the instructor’s department head.

For final exam overload, if the courses have identical course numbers then the Call/CID number would be used as a tie-breaker with the highest Call/CID representing the course in which the final should be rescheduled.

If a final exam is cancelled due to the university closing for inclement weather or other unforeseen events, the final exam schedule may be modified by the Office of the Registrar or individual exams may be rescheduled by the Office of the Registrar at the instructor’s and department’s request.

Common Final Exams

Common final exams are used in large multi-section courses to administer the same final exam to all students in the course at the same time. Blocks are reserved for common final exams as shown in the Final Exam Schedule. The syllabus for each course should list the day, time, and location of the common final exam—the location may vary by class section. See also the Final Exam Overload/Conflicts section and OSU Policy 2-0216: Final Exam Overload and Common Final/Common Evening Exam Conflict Policy. Instructors work through their departments and colleges to schedule common final exams with the Office of the Registrar using a Common Exam Request Form located on the Forms section of the Registrar website. Common finals should be scheduled at the time the class schedule is created for a term.

Pre-Finals Week

Pre-finals week begins seven days prior to the first day of finals. During pre-finals week all normal class activities will continue; however, no assignment, test, or examination accounting for more than 5% of the course grade may be given and no activity or field trip may be scheduled that conflicts with another class. This excludes makeup and laboratory examinations, out-of-class assignments (or projects) made prior to pre-finals week, and independent study courses. No student or campus organization may hold meetings, banquets, or receptions, or may sponsor or participate in any activity, program, or related function that requires student participation. See OSU Policy 2-0210 for more information.

Common Evening Exams

Common Evening Exam Information

What are common evening exams?

Common evening exams, sometimes referred to as common exams, are used in large multi-section courses to administer the same exam to all students in the course at the same time. The exams are conducted in the evening instead of during regularly scheduled class times. Exam dates, times, and locations are provided in the course syllabus. Also see the Common Evening Exam Schedule.

When are common evening exams conducted?

During fall and spring semesters, common evening exams are normally conducted on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 5:30 - 6:30 pm. Fridays (5:30 - 6:30 pm) are likely days for common evening exams that must be rescheduled due to the University closing for inclement weather or other unforeseen events. Common evening exams are not conducted during summer sessions.

Where are common evening exams conducted?

Common evening exams are generally conducted in large classrooms on campus.See the Common Evening Exam Schedule for a listing of rooms, and refer to your class syllabus for the specific location for your section of class.

How are common evening exams scheduled?

Instructors work through their departments and colleges to schedule common evening exams with the Office of the Registrar using a Common Exam Request Form located on the Forms section of the Registrar website.

Are one or more classes cancelled to account for the fact that common evening exams are scheduled outside of normal class time?

It is permissible for instructors to cancel class to account for the additional time required to take common evening exams, but instructors are not required to do so.

What happens when inclement weather or other unforeseen events prevent a common evening exam from occurring?

If a common evening exam is cancelled due to the university closing for inclement weather or other unforeseen events, the exam may be rescheduled at the instructor's and department's request. Fridays from 5:30 - 6:30 pm are likely time slots for rescheduled common exams.

What policies guide the administration of common evening exams?

Common evening exams and common final exams can be used provided: 1) the course is multi-section; 2) more than 200 students are enrolled in the encompassed sections; 3) a uniform course outline is followed by all instructors involved; 4) the evening exam is given on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday from 5:30 - 6:30 pm ONLY; and 5) for common final exams the date, time and location of the exam is published in the final examination section of the Registrar website.

Requests for common evening exams and common final exams must be made each semester and should accompany course offering information for the class schedule. Room assignments are made by the Office of the Registrar (subject to availability). Meeting times for common final exams are also set up by the Office of the Registrar and follow the Faculty Council rotation schedule.

Requests for changes to common evening exams and final exams made after the submission deadline for the class schedule may be granted provided that: 1) Items 1-4 above have been met, and 2) the date, time and location of all common exams are printed in the initial course syllabus, and 3) the change is approved by the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education.

Per OSU Policy 2-0216, if a time conflict occurs for a student involving a common evening exam and another regularly scheduled class meeting (as indicated on the student’s official class schedule), the regularly scheduled class takes priority. The student should be permitted to make up the common evening exam.

The affected student should submit to the instructor a written request to take the affected exam at a different time, with a copy of his/her class schedule, at least two weeks prior to the common evening exam.

The instructor has one week prior to the common evening exam to arrange a mutually convenient time and place for administration of the exam, after which the student may take the request to the instructor’s department head.

If a common evening exam is cancelled due to the university closing for inclement weather or other unforeseen events, the exam may be rescheduled at the instructor’s and department’s request.

Common Final Exams

Common final exams are used in large multi-section courses to administer the same final exam to all students in the course at the same time. Blocks are reserved for common final exams as shown in the Final Exam Schedule. The syllabus for each course should list the day, time, and location of the common final exam—the location may vary by class section. See also the Final Exam Overload/Conflicts section and OSU Policy 2-0216: Final Exam Overload and Common Final/Common Evening Exam Conflict Policy. Instructors work through their departments and colleges to schedule common final exams with the Office of the Registrar using a Common Exam Request Form located on the Forms section of the Registrar website. Common finals should be scheduled at the time the class schedule is created for a term.

Questions about exams for an individual class may be answered by consulting the class syllabus or contacting the class instructor. Questions about final exam and common exam scheduling should be directed to the Course Management/Classroom Scheduling area of the Office of the Registrar (gurooms@okstate.edu; 405.744.6885)